Every person you meet is different, some are happy, some are angry, some are complete idiots, but everyone has one thing in common – we’re alive. We all have a life that we’re living and no one can predict exactly where they will end up at the end. But you can try in some ways to pave the pathways for your future and then go for the ride. Sometimes those pathways are a steep climb, and sometimes they are an uncontrollable down hill that leaves you wishing you had some brakes. And the rest of the time, you’re just strollin’ along.
When you wake up in the morning, what are the first things you think about. Those are usually the important features of your life. Do you worry about debt? Do you reach for the liquor? Do you think about the people you love?Do you have a plan for the day, or a goal you want to accomplish? Every day it’s different. Your life is always changing.
If you’re a positive thinker, or an Optimist they call it, then you’re usually a pretty happy person and it takes a lot to get you down. But these are the people that get really down when shit happens. It’s like you’re always believing that everything is gonna be okay, and life will get better, and everybody loves you. Then when it all crashes at once, you can’t understand why. “Why me?” you say… It’s not just you.
Then there’s the Pessimist that is always unhappy and complaining about every little thing. If you believe that everything is going to go wrong, then why are you surprised when it does? That makes no sense. To me, the negative thinker is just someone who’s afraid of life. They’re scared to believe in the good things in case they don’t come true. And they live their lives in hope that one day they will be happy, but don’t allow it to happen. These people are gonna miss out on the best things in life and die depressed.
Now we have the people in the middle that have no plans at all and just take whatever life serves them on their plate. This can be relaxing and dangerous at the same time. These are the people that get taken advantage of and used all the time because they trust. They trust the people around them , they trust the governments of the world, they believe whatever they are told, and always think that everything is gonna work out.
We are all living our lives, and our lives are filled with ups and downs. Everyone goes through good times and bad times. We all have dreams of what we want to be and where we want to end up. So take those visions and strive to make them reality. Meet lots of people along the way, and learn your lessons the first time. Be who you are, not who your told to be. And choose your paths carefully.
Then know – your life is what you make it, smile and be happy…
Today, September 18, 2012, would have been my Dad’s 65th birthday but we lost him suddenly back in April. Still none of us can get over the fact that he’s gone and of course that we didn’t get to say goodbye. He was the strongest person I knew and at the age of 34 was told that he had 4 years left to live. Proving everyone wrong he battled through for another 30 which made a huge difference in all of our lives, especially his children. We saw someone who lived every day in pain not let it bother him. He accepted his disabilities and diseases for what they were and continued to live his life in happiness, never complaining to anyone unless they forced it out of him. He taught me that nothing is able to stop you if you don’t let it, you just gotta fight on. And now I am the age that his life was changed forever and I think of my family and how much they would be affected if wasn’t around for them.
Thanks for never giving up Dad and giving me the childhood I deserved.
Here’s a couple songs that always makes me think of him and how much of an influence he was on me becoming the person I am today.
I love you, man. And I’ll be just an amazing father to my children as you were.
“The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively.”
–Bob Marley
He was a man of wisdom and positive emotion, and expressed so many words that meant so much to so many people. Bob Marley was the Malcolm X of music and was an inspiration for all to unite.
With so many ups and downs in life it’s tough to remember the ups all the time, because some of those downs are just so rough. This has been a long year for me so far, surrounded by sad days, death and lack of money. If it wasn’t for my family keeping me happy all the time, and all the friends we have in the skateboard world, I might just disappear sometimes. But one reason I don’t is because I have so much more work to do in this lifetime. I’ve been changing the world for a long time, and trying hard to make it better for others, sometimes I forget about myself. But where there’s a will, there’s a way, and I will keep on pushing my body and mind to the limit to succeed. And when I’m offered help from someone who just wants a piece of my pie, I will still turn them down and do it the hard way. ‘Cause that’s me, and that’s the way it has to be. The golden light is at the end of the tunnel, and there’s always gonna be a couple people who throw down ropes to help you get there faster, but those people always want a commission after. I look past those ropes at the other people just routing me on, and encouraging me not to give up and say thank you, I’ll see you at the end. And success will be there waiting.
I give you one of the best quotes of all time from the song: Zion Train –
“Don’t gain the world and lose your soul, wisdom is better than silver and gold.” – Bob Marley
You gotta recognize who you are as a person and what that means to yourself. You gotta know that what’s in your head is worth more than what’s in your pocket. And you gotta learn to say no to anyone that tries to change who you are.
Welcome to Episode 3 of GLORY DAZE with Hippie Mike. We’re hangin’ out all day today with one of the most consistent skaters in the Fraser Region. He was named “King of the Bowls” and “King of Surrey” last year in 2011 at the raw age of 15. His sponsors include Protest Skateboards, Vans Shoes, Kilian Clothing, Monke Hardware and Pd’s Hot Shop. Give it up for Andy Anderson!!
Andy Anderson: How you doin’ Mike?
Hippie Mike: Good, Andy, we’re gonna get right into this, your only 16 years old but how long have you been skateboarding?
Andy Anderson: I’ve been skateboarding for 12 years, so since I was 4
HM: Wow. Can you explain how you first met me and what influence I had on you at that time
Andy: Well, I met you at a Cloverdale Hippie Mike’s Competition. I came in 3rd in Beginner or something, back when you didn’t have Mini. And all I remember is this way too big yellow Substance T-Shirt that I won. I wore it around my house for like 2 weeks, man
HM: So we’re here at the White Rock Bowl/South Surrey Skate Park where you have been training at for the majority of your lifetime, do you think this park has made you the skateboarder that you are today?
Andy: Definitely, because of the various obstacles here. Nothing is actually made for skateboarding, at least that’s how it feels, but I don’t know, White Rock teaches you how to be a Well-rounded Skateboarder – tranny; difficult street
HM: What do you think would be different if you had grown up somewhere else?
Andy: I’d be more based upon one style of skateboarding I think. Also, you’re pretty excluded out here, like it’s the other side of the world for North Van, you know, so I don’t really get to watch that many people unless they’re locals
HM: In the past few years you have consistently placed Top 3 in the majority of competitions that you entered. Is there added pressure in your mind to always win because of that?
Andy: Well that has started recently, but not really, I try to keep that all out. I always fall; I always get extremely hurt whenever I feel slight stress and my mind gets all scrambled. But as long as I’m not worried about winning, I always do good
HM: What was the best contest you ever won?
Andy: King of the Bowls (Big Smiles), Whistler… Ah man, that was awesome. That bowl just like, the park makes the competition because the park is so great, and then they host such a great competition at such a classic bowl. I don’t know…
HM: Well Whistler’s a great bowl though, and Whistler has 3 different parks in reality you can skate so there’s all different kinds of styles
Andy: Yeah!
HM: I referred to you as one of the most consistent skaters in the Lower Mainland/Fraser Region, and it’s true, especially in contest runs. How does it make you feel when you know that everyone else at the contest is sitting there hoping you screw up during your runs so they have a chance to win?
Andy: (Laughs) Uhhh, I’ve never thought of it like that. I just always try to block out everything else
HM: Do you think that they have that thought in their brain or are they actually routing for you to win, again?
Andy: That has legitimately never crossed my mind (Laughs)
HM: Okay, tell the world about the support that your parents have given you and are still giving you in your ventures as a skateboarder
Andy: Oh Man my parents are great. They help me out with everything. They bought me stuff when I needed stuff, you know, that was a big thing, and like I don’t know what to say about them…. Dad drives me out to Victoria every year for like a week and we just go skateboarding. He would take time off, like a fuckin’ week, to go skateboarding. And he doesn’t even skateboard. It was awesome
HM: Name your 3 favorite Skate Parks
Andy: White Rock, Leeside… Oh man, this 3rd one’s gonna be hard to hit…. I’m gonna say Hastings
HM: Name your 3 favorite Skate Spots
Andy: Oh man, Cooper’s Park for sure (under the Cambie Street Bridge), uhhhhh, can you count Bear Creek as a Skate Spot?
HM: Sure
Andy: Okay Bear Creek Park! And, ummm, Georgia Banks
HM: Name your 3 favorite Skate Companies
Andy: Oh like legitimately? Vans, Skull Skates, Protest
HM: Name your 3 favorite people to skate with
Andy: (Deep Breath) I do a lot of skating by myself, but….
HM: Are you one of your favorites to skate with?
Andy: (Laughs) Okay yeah, myself. You (Hippie Mike) always push me to do shit, because like nobody pushes me, there all just like kind of sittin’ back yellin’ “Do it! Do it!” getting me really hurt all the time. So you’re definitely not in the Top 3 (laughs), no you’re up there. I don’t know.. Who else do I skate with, Joe Buffalo
HM: Joe Buffalooooo!! Tell us about your favorite Skateboard Experience ever
Andy: King of Bowls, King of Bowls
HM: Last year in 2011, you won 2 huge titles in this region: “King of Surrey” – for placing in the Top 3 the most times in Hippie Mike’s Tour de Surrey & “King of the Bowls” – for the same status in the Bowl Series. Right around the same time, you got put on Team Protest, and had a video part in the latest edition of The Protest Profile on the Ear Goggles DVD. What was it like to be 15 years old and have all of this happening at that time?
Andy: Phew, dude. Skateboarding is like my complete life right? So when skateboarding works out it’s just my whole life is working out. It was great. It was the peak so far
HM: In May of this year, 2012, you showed up to the World Round-Up Freestyle Skateboarding Contest hosted by Kevin Harris and asked if you could enter. How come?
Andy: Well, my girlfriend wanted me to go to the Rodeo, and I wasn’t super stoked on it, but I heard there was this skateboarding thing going on so I thought I’d show up and I thought it would be a bunch of guys doing Tre Flips on flat or something, but it ended up being a full-fledged Freestyle Competition
HM: During the Finals, legendary photographer Jim Goodrich came over to where we were sitting and complimented you in front of your parents saying how nice you were, how talented you were, and how you were the one pushing the rest of the group to try harder. How did that make you feel?
Andy: I didn’t know Jim, but really like, how popular is a photographer?? But afterwards I looked at some of his photos and they’re just some of the most classic stuff, like Jay Adams, and like, oh my gosh… so that felt amazing. Jim’s a really nice guy
HM: You ended up placing 5th in the Amateur Category out of about 16 people from around the globe. Did that change your life in any way?
Andy: (Laughing) I didn’t realize that I was that good at Freestyle
HM: (Laughs) So you’ve always practised Freestyle? Are you some sort of “hide in your room” guy at night just doing primo tricks?
Andy: Well I was for like 1 winter. I just got super into like Truck Stands and Primos and stuff, but I always do Manuals and Shovits when I’m skating and that’s a big part of Freestyle, I didn’t realize that
HM: Are you stoked to have a legend like Kevin Harris invite you to perform Freestyle Demos with him?
Andy: Yes, that is amazing. Kevin Harris is an amazing guy, and he’s got me doing some amazing stuff
HM: So far, you have mastered all types of transitional skating like old bowls, new bowls, mini-ramps, barricades and pools, you can lay down tons of ledge and rail tricks wherever and whenever you want to, and you made a name for yourself in the Freestyle World, what the hell can we expect next from Andy Anderson?
Andy: Hopefully some flip tricks
HM: (Laughs) Alright, I want to thank you for being on GLORY DAZE with Hippie Mike. I have known you and taught you skateboarding skills since you were 7 years old.
I saw your potential right away to be an amazing skateboarder and an amazing person, and I’m glad I got to be there to help encourage you all these years. You are one of the nicest kids out there on the skate scene, you keep it humble, not cocky, and you truly are living in your Glory Daze right now, and I think it’s still gonna get better though…
Andy: Glory Daze…
HM: You make me very proud buddy – Andy Anderson everybody…..
Brought together by fluke through the City of Surrey, Jordan Wiebe, the man they call “DJ CUZO” started backing me up at all my skateboard competitions as my DJ about 6 or 7 years ago. He had good taste in tunes and enjoyed being part of the events. We became close friends when I found out he was good at golf (Really Good) and we started inviting him out to our weekly trip to The Meridian Par 3 in White Rock. Then we just started hanging out all the time. Jordan is such a friendly giant, standing 6’6” tall but always showing everyone love and affection. Saturday, August 4th, 2012, the day came where he and his long time girlfriend Jessie were tying the knot at Kwamais Point Park. It was a wild wedding of course, 30 something degrees outside, sun just beaming on us, eagles soaring around in the background, and best of all, the bride showed up. They got married, took some photos and then we all headed over to Belle’s Restaurant in South Surrey. It was great time – from awesome food, to swordfights in the parking lot, Cuban Cohiba Cigars, a breakdance demo by the “Now or Never Crew”, and Cuzo himself even got up and rapped for his new lady in front of everyone.
Great night guys, we wish you all the best.
Jordan & Jessie Wiebe
Check out www.djcuzo.com to find out how you can hire Jordan for an event
We live in a very competitive world, it’s always been that way, people and animals battling for survival. But times have definitely changed and life is very expensive. With money ruling the world everyone wants to earn their share, and of course a little extra to have fun on the side of all this work.
But here’s the problem:
We need food and shelter to survive, we need money to purchase these things, and we have to have a reliable source of income. A lot of people run small businesses, especially in the skateboard industry. This adds to the competitive nature of our lifestyles, but why? We are all interested in one thing, promoting the sport we love. Why not instead of competing with one another, we just all work together to promote each other and build up a larger consumer base for all. Doesn’t it make more sense to collaborate with others and promote the sport as a whole, rather than trying to be better than the next guy and put others out of business?
Bob Marley was all about bringing people together and trying to have the world unite in peace and stop all the fighting. In Jamaica, in the late 1970’s, there was a major political battle between 2 government officials Michael Manley(PNP) and Edward Seaga(JLP). Bob Marley was requested to help to try and resolve this battle by holding a “Third World Woodstock” style event called “The One Love Peace Concert” and Bob tried so hard to have them stop competing against one another, join hands and work together to make the life on the island better for all who lived there. Here’s is the actual quote from that Concert when he had the 2 on stage –
“Just let me tell you something (yeah), to make everything come true, we gotta be together. (Yeah, yeah, yeah) and through the spirit of the Most High, His Imperial Majesty EmperorHaile Selassie I, we’re inviting a few leading people of the slaves to shake hands. . . To show the people that you love them right, to show the people that you gonna unite, show the people that you’re over bright, show the people that everything is all right. Watch, watch, watch, what you’re doing, because I wanna send a message right out there. I mean, I’m not so good at talking but I hope you understand what I’m trying to say. Well, I’m trying to say, could we have, could we have, up here onstage here the presence of Mr. Michael Manley and Mr. Edward Seaga. I just want to shake hands and show the people that we’re gonna make it right, we’re gonna unite, we’re gonna make it right, we’ve got to unite . The moon is right over my head, and I give my love instead. The moon was right above my head, and I give my love instead.” – Bob Marley
This day was a very, very historic event and it took a great man to be the centre of that hand shake. The wars did not stop completely in Jamaica and even today are still going on, but that vision of unity between those 2 figures will live on as the most symbolic hand shake in the country. And it is proof that anyone can put their differences aside and work together.
This entire event really related to one of Bob Marley’s biggest songs written back in 1965 but released on his “Exodus” Album in 1977 called One Love/People Get Ready, and in this song he sings –
“One Love! One Heart! Let’s get together and feel alright.”
This quote can be read in many ways. It could be talking about family and friends, it could be talking about Cities and Countries, it could be talking about enemies, but what it means is that Unity will bring happiness.
One Heart – we all live for this passion and would be lost without it
Unity – working together to promote what we are passionate about and influence others to have the same amount of passion
Skateboarding is a tough industry. Everybody wants the good product, but nobody wants to pay the big money for it. I’ve seen so many Skate Shops and Indoor Skate Parks come and go over the years and it always comes down to money. They are 2 of the toughest businesses to run, but people keep trying. And without these people trying, we wouldn’t have these cool spots to go to that give us awesome memories for the rest of our lives. But there’s just too much competition out there, and sometimes people forget why they got into that business in the first place – because they loved skateboarding. They loved it so much that they wanted to dedicate their life to it.
These are the people we need to promote.
These are the people who need to unite and stop competing.
And that unity will bring better fortune to all.
Please join hands with me and say, “I love skateboarding…”
Now take a look around at all the other people that just said it with you and help each other to build a bigger future.
Check out a few of my favorite partnering websites and help us to make skateboarding the positive future for more generations to come
Most of Bob Marley’s songs were about political issues, battles for unity and freedom or just plain old love songs. But sometimes you could pick out a song that Bob wrote just by feeling it. Sometimes when you’re out in the world alone you just start singing, singing about what you’re doing and how you are feeling. That’s what the song “Sun is Shining” is like. I picture Bob hanging out on a big hill top just dancing under a tree singing about how beautiful it is outside, and how that weather makes him feel so good.
I quote the song –
“Sun is shining, weather is sweet; makes you want to move your dancing feet…”
It’s true. The weather affects the mood of many people and when it’s not nice outside for long periods of time, depression can be a factor. I love the line in the song, “To the rescue, here I am…”, because it brings the reality of how the sunshine saves your mentality and makes you smile. All Winter in the land of Vancouver where we live it rains and rains, and people get bitter and sad. That’s reality. When the sun comes out, it instantly gets people outside of their condos and houses and they do things. They have fun. They smile and laugh. And maybe they even dance.
Summer has finally arrived and everywhere you look there are people smiling having a good time with one another. The conversations in the stores have changed from talking about what they are sick and tired of to asking how each other is feeling and talking about how gorgeous it is outside. But there’s always that last sentence of, “I hope it stays this way.”
We live for the sun and it keeps us alive. We anticipate it’s arrival each and every day. Without the sun the world would wither and die. So go outside and enjoy it. Sing a song and dance to your heart’s desire, and remember, when you don’t see it for long periods of time, it will return, and will take away the pain.
In 2006, I released the first full length video from Protest Skateboards. A lot of people probably didn’t see this video just because I didn’t publicize it, didn’t have it for sale anywhere, and didn’t utilize YouTube back then, if it even existed. It’s a shame though because it contained one of the craziest skateboard video parts ever made with the2×4 board, which a lot of people have watched now since I put that section on YouTube.
The Video was named Never Give Up.
It was named this for many reasons, mainly just because I’m one of those people that makes tons of goals for themselves and then does whatever it takes to fulfil those goals. And sometimes, most times, there are many many surprise barriers that come into play.
All my life I was one of those guys that was always hurt, and I would get seriously injured often where it would take months to recover and life would never be the same. To some, they might consider me to be accident prone, but for any that knew my lifestyle, I was far from it. I just liked to do crazy things, and invent a lot of new tricks on skateboards and snowboards. I wasn’t accident prone, I just spent my life doing things that if you make a mistake, you’re gonna get hurt.
So we worked on this video for quite a while, and one day in 2005, I got really hurt, blew out my MCL kickflipping down a 3 block. I couldn’t believe it happened, especially on such a basic trick down a fairly small gap compared to some of the stuff I used to fly over, but it happened. I was out. It took me almost 7 weeks to put my cane down permanently and start skateboarding again. 1 week later I was asked to do a Video Shoot for a Commercial this guy was making for a contest and I said yes. I started ignoring the pain and doing flip tricks on the flat banks and over this pyramid. I had a great day, and didn’t get hurt!
I think I was too excited though because as the guys were putting away their equipment, I stopped them and said, “I got one more…”
I pulled out this fold up table and told them I was going to hijump it, you know I jump over it and my board goes under and we come back together in perfect unison.
Blam!! My back foot slips off my tail when I land it and fully folded my knee over sideways, again.
So my friend Homer carried me out to the car and we went back to my house so I could wallow in sorrow. I had still not been to see a doctor, and had no plans for it. I spent another 6 weeks recovering again, all the time gaining weight and losing skills. It was painful, mentally more than anything. But I knew one thing, I was not going to quit. I worked hard to recover, and I made my way back, and unfortunately had to give up big gaps after that injury, but I still skate hard everywhere I go.
It just proved my entire way of life though –
Go out and try new things, fight for what you believe in and work hard to bring your beliefs to reality, take what’s thrown at you and throw it right back, get back up every time you’re pushed to the ground, and whatever you do…
Never Give Up!!
Intro Poem:
As your body crashes into the ground,
You know you’re hurt, you want to scream,
Scream from the pain,
or more the frustration,
Your life could be over,
a career down the drain,
Pain crushes your soul like a tidal wave of mass destruction,
I send out my feelings on this Father’s Day to my Dad who just passed away 7 weeks ago. Remember that today is the day to love your Dad and let him know what he means to you. Don’t take your time with each other for granted, you never know when the last laughs you enjoy together will be…
Who You Were To Me
I never met the man that made me,
But I loved the man that made me who I am,
Because you were meant to be my Father,
You were the best for me.
I cherish the time we had together,
And I will always remember how much you cared,
And I will be to my son what you always were to me,
Well, it happened. The Miami Heat have eliminated the Boston Celtics in a tight Game 7 match up. Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh – you’re on your way back to the NBA Finals for the 2nd consecutive year. Last year they were blown out by the Dallas Mavericks in 4 games.
“The Big 3” is such an overrated nametag. They came together to prove that they were the best combination of all time, and still have yet to do so. But they did beat Boston, which was no easy task.
It was a tough series for me to watch because I don’t really like either of these 2 teams. But it was my hope that Miami would pull through and win the series just so I can watch the OKC Thunder take them down in the Finals. I said at the beginning of the season that either LA Clippers or Oklahoma City Thunder were gonna be champions this year.
Lebron played one hell of a series, scoring no less than 29 points per game, and playing the full 48 minutes in almost every match. Kevin Durant, it’s time to show “King Choke” and his Merry Men who the real man is…
